STRAIN-INDUCED AGE STRENGTHENING IN DILUTE MAGNESIUM ALLOY SHEETS

A method of strengthening a dilute magnesium alloy sheet includes providing a dilute magnesium alloy sheet, which includes a magnesium alloy consisting essentially of (wt %) : >0 to 3.0 of Zn; >0 to 1.5 of Ca; 0 to 1.0 of Zr; 0 to 1.3 of a rare earth element or mixture of the same; 0 to 0.3 of Sr; 0 to 0.7 of Al, the balance of Mg and other unavoidable impurities, wherein the total weight % of alloying elements is less than 3%; subjecting the dilute magnesium alloy sheet to plastic deformation, in which the tensile plastic strain should exceed 0.5%, but be less than 8% to form a pre-deformed magnesium alloy sheets; and subjecting the pre-deformed magnesium alloy sheets to an ageing treatment in a temperature range of 80 to 250° C. for at least 1 minute, thereby forming a strengthened magnesium alloy sheet.